Maul – Shadow Lord Season 1 has finally given us the lightsaber duel we’ve been wanting for 27 years. Darth Maul cut an impressive figure when he made his debut in The Phantom Menace 27 years ago, but his story seemed to have come to an untimely end after he was killed by Qui-Gon Jinn. George Lucas recognized the mistake, resurrecting him in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and setting Maul up as one of the best Star Wars villains ever. And yet, for all that’s the case, one question has gone unanswered for 27 years.
What would happen if Darth Maul and Darth Vader ever crossed blades? The old Star Wars Expanded Universe found ways to toy with the idea (even without an actual resurrection). We got hints in Star Wars Rebels, but that particular story – set towards the end of Maul’s life – soon pivoted into an emotional reunion between Vader and Ahsoka. Now, finally, Maul – Shadow Lord has given us the Sith duel we’ve been longing for. And it’s everything we hoped for.
Darth Vader is So Much More Powerful Than Maul
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It shouldn’t really come as a spoiler to say Darth Vader is infinitely more powerful than Maul. While it’s true Vader is a shadow of his former self, he’s still the Chosen One. His Force potential is off the charts, even after Obi-Wan’s defeat left Anakin Skywalker’s body critically weakened. Even Palpatine realized how powerful Darth Vader still was, choosing to keep him alive rather than discard him as he had done with Maul.
But this is Darth Vader at his most terrifying. A silent killer who stalks through the shadows, so all you hear is the sound of his breathing. His reflexes are incredibly fast, enhanced by both the Force and the Empire’s cybernetic technology. Darth Vader’s lightsaber form leaves a lot to be desired, lacking the finesse of Anakin Skywalker, but that’s simply because he doesn’t need that kind of showmanship anymore. Mechanized limbs allow him to hammer down on opponents with impossible force. It takes both a Jedi and a former Sith Apprentice to push his blade back.
Watching Darth Vader take on Maul, only one word springs to mind: effortless. Maul would literally be dead if not for Devon Izara and Master Eeko-Dio Daki, who form an uneasy alliance with him against Vader. The battle ends the only way it ever could, with Vader killing Eeko-Dio Daki and Maul running interference to get Devon – his chosen apprentice – away from the Sith Lord. When Darth Vader arrives on the scene, even Maul has no choice but to run.
Maul and Vader Are Twisted Mirrors of One Another
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Maul and Vader have always had disturbing similarities. Maul was trained as a Jedi killer, but he fell in battle against Obi-Wan Kenobi. Only Maul’s hatred allowed him to survive, but he was left weakened, the lower half of his body replaced by cybernetics. Maul – Shadow Lord has consistently shown these cybernetics are Maul’s greatest weakness, with the Inquisitors striking at Maul’s legs to weaken him. Darth Vader follows the same tactic, and it’s even more effective – likely because Anakin is a mechanical genius.
The duel is even more incredible, though, when you remember that Darth Vader too fell in battle against Obi-Wan Kenobi. As Obi-Wan put it, he is now “more machine than man,” even more so than Maul. For all that’s the case, though, the duel is still a total mismatch in terms of power levels. Maul doesn’t have a chance, and he knows it right from the start, as soon as he realizes this is no Inquisitor.
Maul – Shadow Lord Subtly Gives Darth Vader a Terrifying New Power
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The Maul – Shadow Lord finale actually goes one step further, though, subtly revealing Darth Vader has learned a new Force power (presumably from Palpatine). Master Daki is able to sense Inquisitors coming, presumably because of their presence in the dark side. In contrast, neither Jedi nor Sith can sense Darth Vader coming. He emerges from the mists, striking without warning, even breaking through rock in surprise attacks. The whole thing is oddly reminiscent of Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, the 1978 novel by Alan Dean Foster.
This “Force concealment” is the Sith Lord’s greatest advantage in the battle. It’s presumably the same technique Palpatine used to conceal his dark side presence when he was around the Jedi, and the Emperor seems to have taught his apprentice the trick. To be fair, it’s probably the only way someone as powerful in the dark side as Darth Vader could ever take a Jedi by surprise. The power makes him even more unstoppable, simply because nobody – not even Darth Maul – can see him coming.
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